Rear hub problem = catastrophe?
Shayne Wissler
lbs has tried to fix it several times, replaced the axel and bearings but it
still catches when tightened normally so it's running a little loose, with
some lateral play.
One guy at the shop told me he'd heard of bearing blowout, I guess where the
hub has a catastrophic failure from overheating. Since I make canyon
descents not infrequently (45+ MPH) it's a little disconcerting. He said I
should watch it--but do I need to replace it? I was thinking that next time
I descend I can see if it's getting hot at all, and if not assume it's OK to
ride on the wheel until it's more worn out. Does that make sense or is it
risky?
Shayne Wissler
carl...@comcast.net
Dear Shayne,
There are other factors like pressure and bearing surface,
but both the tire and hub-bearing-race revolve at about 750
rpm with a 700c rim when you're doing 45 mph.
The tire, of course, spins at 45 mph. The hub-bearing-race
spins at under 4 mph.
Carl Fogel
Jim Smith
> Dear Shayne,
>
> There are other factors like pressure and bearing surface,
> but both the tire and hub-bearing-race revolve at about 750
> rpm with a 700c rim when you're doing 45 mph.
>
By "rpm" I guess you mean "revolutions per mile," or about
562 revolutions per minute at 45 miles per hour?
carl...@comcast.net
<bokonon...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Jim,
Well, I meant revolutions per minute, but . . .
I originally used 60 mph, a fair margin of error for the 45+
mph mentioned by the original poster. Then I had so much
mindless fun fooling with the figures that I carelessly used
the r/minute for 60 mph, which works out to the same as
r/mile.
So technically, 753 r/minute at 60 mph and 565 rpm at 45 mph
for a 2124mm tire circumference (if I've got things right
this time).
cRal Fgoel
Alex Rodriguez
says...
Why are you messing with a faulty wheel? Either they get you a new wheel
that works properly or get your money back.
------------
Alex
Shayne Wissler
"Alex Rodriguez" <ad...@columbia.edu> wrote in message
news:cfdq7l$ku9$3...@newsmaster.cc.columbia.edu...
It's over a year old and I've given it a few good knocks since I've had it.
I was planning on getting a new wheel this winter or maybe even learning how
to build one, so it'd be nice if the current one could safely work for a
while.
Shayne
daveornee
I would bring it back to your shop for manufacturers support. Trek and
Bontrager know how to build bicycles and wheels that can handle speed...
or US Postal Team would ride something else. Now, to your specific
wheel; there are negative comments about the hub and freehub in the
reviews.
I wouldn't risk a wheel problem when I know there is a glaring
deficiency.
--
daveornee
dl...@lehigh.edu
@yahoo.com> writes:
>I've got a Bontrager Select rear wheel that seems to have a hub anomaly. The
>lbs has tried to fix it several times, replaced the axel and bearings but it
>still catches when tightened normally so it's running a little loose, with
>some lateral play.
This is not good. The wheel shouldn't have any lateral play. This is no
"anomaly", it's either a ruined component or incompetent wrenching. Most
likely the bearing races are bad, if it has loose bearings. Was the wheel in
an accident? That's the only other possibility that comes to mind.
>
>One guy at the shop told me he'd heard of bearing blowout, I guess where the
>hub has a catastrophic failure from overheating.
Yeah. In cars. Not that likely here. But using the wheel as it is will
quickly ruin the races if they are not gone already. If this wheel is still
under warrantee, you need to insist that they fix it properly. If not, just
replace the hub and it will be fine. Yes, maybe just replacing the races is
possible, but it may be more expensive and will be more work than replacing
the whole hub.
David L. Johnson
Department of Mathematics
Lehigh University
Alex Rodriguez
says...
>It's over a year old and I've given it a few good knocks since I've had it.
>I was planning on getting a new wheel this winter or maybe even learning how
>to build one, so it'd be nice if the current one could safely work for a
>while.
At least you figured out that you shouldn't waste your money on a similar
wheel and that you can build up your own wheel that will be just as good,
if not better, than what you can buy pre-built.
-----------------
Alex
John McGraw
I had a '97 Boingtrager Mt. bike w/ a Boingtrager fr. hub. What a
piece of crap. It took Palo Alto Bicycle, where I bought it, a year or
so to finally order in new axel, cones, seals, balls. Couldn't buy
just the seals. Trek kept loosing the order or something. It was
actually a Formula hub. The seals dragged so bad that I could feel it
when riding. Hell I've had brakes drag that I couldn't feel. After
over hauling the hub 3 times, I finally removed the seals. It was fine
after that. The bike was stolen before the new innards arrived. I
don't blame Keith Bontrager. But I sure as hell do blame Trek. I like
the design of the G. F. Sugar, and would like to buy one, but do to
this and other Trek problems I've had; I will never buy another trek
product. John